Ice making and storing systems are known, particularly those used in refrigeration appliances. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,624 discloses an ice making system which includes an ice bucket disposed beneath the icemaker. The ice bucket includes a window for viewing the quantity of accumulated ice in the bucket. U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,259 discloses a removable ice bucket with an upper body formed from a clear plastic material such that the quantity of ice pieces stored within the ice bucket can be visually determined.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0201194 discloses a refrigerator with a water and ice dispenser that has an ice chute air seal. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2006/0086130 is directed to an ice and water dispenser having an insulated cover to substantially enclose an icemaker. Another insulated cover substantially encloses an ice cube storage bin and an ice dispenser. U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,204 discloses a hollow, double walled ice bucket.
It would be an improvement in the art if there were provided an ice making and storing system which provides insulation for the ice maker and allows easy removal of the ice storage receptacle, yet also permits insulation of the storage receptacle and viewing of the ice level in the storage receptacle.